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Just as states with progressive lawmakers and activists have themselves initiated innovative programs over a wide range of issues, state-based progressive blogs have helped provide us with a point of view, inside information and often an edgy voice that we just don’t get from the traditional media. This week in progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Inclusion of a diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents.

Oh boy, here we go. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has discovered all the weird and crazy people that populate Republican politics in Oregon. As she put it, we’ve got an “unexpectedly high wackadoo factor”.

Maddow’s money quote: “I do not think it is appreciated broadly enough just how weird Oregon Republican politics have gotten.” We know, Rachel, we know.

It starts, of course, with our very own rich crazy person, the Las Vegas sexual hypnotist Loren Parks. Among other things, Maddow has done us all the service of watching all of his crazy hypnosis videos and excerpting the best (worst) parts. Including the one where he sounds a buzzer on YouTube that will apparently help you lose weight. [...]

Maddow also takes note of Art Robinson’s bizarre jihad against Peter DeFazio and his recent urine collection efforts. Which would make him sort of eccentric weirdo loner, except that the Oregon GOP elected him their chairman.

When a lobbyist gives a black lawmaker a Tiffany bracelet, PA Republicans are scandalized. But when Tom Corbett and his wife get a vacation aboard a businessman’s yacht in Rhode Island, or some sweet New Balance kicks and a dagger of unknown value, they have no problem with that.

And now that some mean ethics reformers want to ban gifts, Republicans are bristling. Their grift, you see, helps the whole state. [...]

If Tom Corbett thinks his junkets out of state are justifiable as economic development spending (which, lol) then they should be funded by the Executive Branch, not private businesses.

The travel expenses could potentially be justified, but how much of that $13,500 in “gifts and hospitality” from the Team PA Foundation was the plane ticket and hotel, and how much of it went to Corbett and friends boozing it up at fancy restaurants with local dignitaries? We don’t know.